1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to label applicators for use, for example, in applying price labels to articles sold in retail establishments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous label applicators have been proposed and are in use which are operated manually and which serve to print and dispense a label by actuation of the applicator. The labels used in such applicators have a layer of self-adhesive medium one face and the labels are held together to form a web by a backing strip of paper treated with a release agent such as a silicone.
Many previously proposed applicators and applicators in use involve a trigger-like action in order to effect their working cycle. While label applicators which use a trigger or similar squeeze action on an actuating member are satisfactory for many purposes, their use may involve some difficulty for the user when the articles to be labelled are contained in a box or other large container so that the edges of the box tend to interfere with the application of labels to articles which are adjacent to the walls of the box.
To overcome the difficulties, it has already been proposed to provide a label applicator which operates with a straightforward stamp impression action to that required for a conventional data stamp, the operation of such applicators involving movement of an actuating member by way of a plunging action to cause the necessary operating cycle of the applicator. The action involved may be likened to that of a pogo-stick but the previously proposed applicators have not found favour in use because of their complex construction and often a substantial lateral bulk prevents their use in the circumstances referred to above where obstruction hinders or prevents application of labels to an article.
It has been proposed in British Patent Specification No. 1,116,124 to provide a label printing and dispensing apparatus which is operable in the manner of a data stamp, and which, moreover, includes a mounting for a fresh label web and a mounting for a reel carrying spent backing strip. A linear-acting registration device serves to register individual labels for printing and dispensing purposes but it requires the use of special labels each of which has a transverse ridge to enable proper registration.
Clearly the need to use such labels is disadvantageous because they involve a special manufacturing process which renders them costly and the thickness of the ridges can, when the labels are in reel form, double the size of the reel in comparison with plain labels.
One object of the present invention is to provide a label applicator which can use plain labels, i.e. without holes, apertures, ridges or edgewise cuts, but nevertheless maintain good registration for printing and dispensing purposes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a label applicator which can be used in situations where there is little lateral space available.